Christian Stipanović University of Rijeka Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Management Opatija, Rijeka

Valorization of Batana Salvorina in the Development and Brand Identity of Umag Valorizacija Batane Salvorine u funkciji razvoja i prepoznatljivosti turizma grada Umaga Christian Stipanović University of Rijeka Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Management Opatija, Rijeka e-mail: christis@fthm.hr Elena Rudan University of Rijeka Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Management Opatija, Rijeka e-mail: elenar@fthm.hr Marina Klarić University of Rijeka Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Management Opatija, Rijeka e-mail: marina.klaric1991@gmail.com DOI 10.17818/NM/2015/2.4 UDK 338.48 : 930.85 (497.5 UMAG) Review / Pregledni članak Paper accepted / Rukopis primljen: 24. 10. 2014. Summary This work explores the possibilities raised by valorisation of historical and maritime heritage (Batana Salvorina) in the construction of an original and innovative tourism product, with the goal of repositioning Umag as a distinctive tourist destination. It is based on the authors research, questionnaires and Umag stakeholder focus groups (members of the Association Batana Salvorina, local government, public utility and entrepreneurs), benchmark analysis of batana valorisation in Umag, Rovinj and Piran using situational and scenario analysis, as well as the authors projections of building the batana salvorina project and Umag competitiveness. The limitations of the research lie in the fact that the project of batana salvorina valorisation is still underdeveloped, as well as in the insufficient recognition of the project importance and opportunities in creating tourism uniqueness and distinctiveness. The valorisation of history (batana salvorina) must evolve into an integral indigenous product that will be based on the synergy of business entrepreneurs and other stakeholders in a continuous effort to enrich and qualitatively improve Umag tourism offer. KEY WORDS heritage tourism Batana Salvorina entrepreneurship brand development Sažetak Rad istražuje mogućnosti valorizacije povijesne i pomorske baštine (Batana Salvorina) u izgradnji originalnog i inovativnog turističkog proizvoda u funkciji repozicioniranja Umaga kao prepoznatljive turističke destinacije. Temelji se na istraživanjima autora, anketiranju i fokus grupi dionika Umaga, (članova udruge Batana Salvorina, lokalne uprave i samouprave, komunalnog poduzeća i poduzetnika), benchmarking analizi valorizacije batana Umaga, Rovinja i Pirana u funkciji situacijske analize i scenarija razvoja, kao i na projekcijama autora u generiranju konkurentnosti projekta Batana Salvorina i destinacije Umag. Ograničenje istraživanja je što je projekt valorizacije Batane Salvorine u začecima, kao i nedostatna percepcija o značaju i mogućnostima projekta u funkciji turističke posebnosti i prepoznatljivosti. Valorizacija povijesti (Batana Salvorina) mora prerasti u integralni autohtoni proizvod koji će se temeljiti na sinergiji poduzetnika i ostalih ulagača u kontinuiranom obogaćivanju i kvalitativnom unapređivanju ponude Umaga. KLJUČNE RIJEČI turizam naslijeđa Batana Salvorina poduzetništvo brend razvoj INTRODUCTION / Uvod In an increasingly turbulent environment, every tourist destination must create a distinctive product in order to achieve repositioning on the tourism market. At the same time, in innovating promotional activities, it must develop a brand associated with its competitive advantages. In copying and adopting someone else s solutions (no copy can be better than the original) and adjusting to the increasingly demanding tourist needs, indigenous values, tradition and culture are often neglected as a starting point for creating an original tourism product. In tourism development and the creation of the integral indigenous product, it is crucial to build awareness of the importance and the possibilities of cultural heritage protection and valorisation. Since cultural heritage is also a valuable source of pride to the indigenous residents that needs to be preserved, a number of different projects and programs aimed at the preservation and presentation of the destination s 67

values have been created in recent years. Maritime heritage represents an important value for the entire Adriatic coast, as one of the main sources of income for both the indigenous population and the town of Umag, where the traditional fishing boat batana salvorina could develop into a tourist brand and connect maritime tradition to both present and future tourism. FISHERIES AND MARITIME HERITAGE IN TOURISM OFFER / Ribarska i pomorska baština u turističkoj ponudi Cultural tourism is one of the most significant selective forms of tourism, which in itself contains a number of sub-forms. Each of the sub-form has its historical continuity of development, stagnation and re-awakening, and the most frequent are: heritage tourism, historical tourism, culinary tourism, creative tourism, etc. Cultural tourism, as defined by the World Tourism Organization (WTO), is the movement of people for essentially cultural motivations such as study tours, performing arts and cultural tours, travel to festivals and other cultural events, visits to historical sites and monuments, travel to study nature, folklore or art, and pilgrimages (Pančić Kombol, 2006, 214). In the Cultural Tourism Development Strategy (Strategija razvoja kulturnog turizma, 2003, 5), issued by the Croatian Ministry of Tourism in 2003, cultural tourism is defined as the movement of people outside their permanent place of residence, fully or partially motivated by their interest in history, art, heritage or lifestyle of a particular site, region, group or institution. In the last ten years, Croatia has put considerable effort into the development of cultural tourism at all levels. According to the Croatian Tourism Development Strategy until 2020 (Strategija razvoja turizma Republike Hrvatske do 2020. godine, 2013), the key obstacles lie in the commercialization of the system (especially the integration into the world systems), and in the destination management system, that should properly position the cultural events and deliver the overall experience at the level of individual destinations. The Strategy views heritage tourism as a particularly relevant product of cultural tourism in Croatia, due to the rich cultural and historical heritage essential for Croatian tourism product. The term heritage tourism is defined as a part, or a sub-form of cultural tourism that incorporates tangible and intangible elements related to the historical development of the tourist destination. According to the authoress Pančić Kombol ( 2000, 175), heritage tourism is based on nostalgia and the desire to experience different areas and forms. She uses the term to describe the cultural traditions and creativity inherited from the past. Brooks (2000, 408) defines it is a movement of people to places with natural, historical and cultural attractions, in order to learn about the past and thus see how the local and regional art, natural environment and culture relate to the present. This form of tourism takes the visitors to authentic sites to learn about the history and local culture, as well as the events that provide experience of life in the community today, and as it once was. Vlahović (2003, 264-265) stresses the need to give special support and attention to those entities and individuals who own original skills and knowledge and are able to express specific material and cultural heritage values of the region that ensure a unique, recognizable and thus distinguish the destination and its offer. The creation and introduction of new-generation products that enable creative expression and the visitors interaction with the local environment, give access to new consumer segments, especially those focused on the even narrower sub-form of cultural tourism - the so-called creative tourism. According to Rudan (2012, 719), creative tourism offer is created through the initiative at the local level and, as such, promotes economic and tourism development, as well as the development of each destination in its own indigenousness. Every destination can be creative, i.e. develop creative tourism, given that it allows the development of such tourism products that will attract the tourists who want to gain new experiences while staying in a tourist destination. In the development of heritage-based tourism product, local community plays a particularly important role, as well as its integration into the sustainable solutions of incorporating cultural products into the destination s tourism product. In the promotion of a tourist destination, cultural resources are values that can be stressed as the main destination product. What makes a destination different from all others is its cultural heritage (Vrtiprah, 2006, 290). According to Petrić and Ljubica (2012, 211-212), a sustainable use of culture and all its forms as a resource, prevents its excessive commercialization in the community, which again implies the necessity of systematic education of the local community and of raising awareness about the value of both tangible and intangible aspects of local culture. Laws (2001, 80) writes that the development of heritage sites for paying visitors brings them into the domain of the consumer market. Consumption of the culture of a place can be justified on three economic grounds: it is a driver of economic regeneration; it funds site preservation and development; and it may be less damaging than alternative use, or neglect. In recent years, all over the Croatian coast and the coasts of neighbouring countries, efforts are being made to revitalize and preserve fisheries and maritime heritage as a document of the past, when the sea provided the livelihood for many fishermen families. Traditional Croatian boats of the Adriatic offer an original and valuable insight into the historical development of fisheries and maritime affairs, the geographical features of the region in which they originated, and the people who built them and spent part of their lives on them. According to Keber (2007, 81-82), every single traditional Croatian boat of the Adriatic is specific in its design or a single detail, in the variety of equipment and purpose. This creates a wide range of boat types and subtypes, differing in size, design and details; similar to each other, but at the same time very different, even within the Mediterranean basin. In the last ten years, the measures of protection and presentation of maritime and boatbuilding heritage have intensified, resulting in various associations that seek to preserve the tradition of boatbuilding and to use this traditional element in the presentation of the tourist destinations that once derived their livelihoods primarily from the sea and its resources. An example of a successful maritime heritage valorisation and its use in the repositioning process is the tradition of Venice and its vessels: gondola, pupparin, mascareta, caorlina, gandolino, balotina, sandolo, disdotona, dodesona, quatrodesona. Tourists often carry a gondola souvenir as a long-lasting reminder of their stay in Venice. The traditional boat creates the image and the brand of Venice. Likewise, the fisheries and maritime heritage of Croatia is one of the most valuable resources that should be recognized and valorised in its tourism development. 68 C. Stipanović et al: Valorization of Batana Salvorina in the Development and...

NATURAL RESOURCES CULTURAL RESOURCES Table 1 Tourism resources of Umag Tablica 1. Turistički resursi u Umagu TRADITION SPORT ENTERTAINMENT - Clear sea - Moderate climate - Different beach types - Landscape - Squirrel Park - ishing areas - The old town - Village Sepomaia - Museum - Lighthouse - Stancia Grande - Sipar - St. Peter - Valfontane - Savudrian batana - Fishing - Olive growing - Viticulture - Gastronomy - 70 modern tennis courts - Tennis stadium - Tennis academy - 15 football fields - Sand courts - 2 sports halls - Bicycle trails - 18-hole golf course - Night bars - Beach bars - Automat clubs - Casinos - Events - Wellness - Water sports - ACI marina - Katoro horse riding club Source: Authors interpretation of Istria Tourist Board data ANALYSIS OF CULTURAL TOURISM IN UMAG / Analiza kulturnog turizma u Umagu New tourism trends show that tourists want to learn about the local culture, the customs of the local population, explore the cultural and historical heritage, and try the local cuisine. Additional events focused on the cultural and historical heritage are an important tourist motivator that plays a major role in the development of a tourist destination and its marketing planning. Umag-Umago is a small town 1 and port on the northwest coast of Istria, Croatia, renowned as a city of tourism and sport. It stands out for its distinctive offer of accommodation, sports events, gastronomic and cultural heritage. Umag has a rich resource base (beside its natural resources), which is a result of many years of tourism practice. Umag is a city with a rich cultural heritage, insufficiently valorised in tourism development. Several cultural and historical sites can be distinguished: partially preserved walls on the southwest side of the city, the church of St. Roch, Parish Church of the Assumption and St. Peregrine, the patron saint of Umag, the Savudrija Lighthouse, Stancia Grande, Sipar, St. Peter, Valfontane. The cultural activities of the city are stimulated by the following cultural institutions: the Umag Open University Ante Babić, Umag Museum, Public library, Gallery Fante (Marino Cettina) and Gallery Marin. The most important event is the International 1 In 2011, Umag had a population of 13,467. Festival of Antique Sepomaia Viva which combines archaeological research, educational programs, and the International Scientific Symposium: The Living Museum - Experimental Archaeology. During the summer months, among a number of other programs, three significant musical events take place: Umag(o) Classica, Umago Blues and Organum Histriae and the international chamber theatre festival Golden Lion with an array of world-class theatre productions. Umag has a rich cultural and historical heritage that needs to be considered in the context of its tourism offer, as well as its population. The assessment of cultural tourism can be displayed through the results of the questionnaires filled by the tourists. 2 The survey results indicate a gap between the rich cultural heritage and the relatively low marks given to the cultural tourism offer. This is further evidenced by the structure of tourists in Umag, oriented toward mass tourism and uninventive offer (their primary motives are as follows: sun and sea 29.27%, relaxation 26.83%, entertainment 17.07%, new experiences 14.63%, natural beauty 9.76%, sports events 2.44%. Cultural attractions and events are not recognized as a primary motive, but are a secondary motive for 5.66% of the tourists interviewed). 3 In the interviews conducted with the representatives of the Umag 2 The survey was carried out from August 18 till August 31, 2014, when the association Batana Salvorina presented their work on the town quay. The tourists had the opportunity to ride in a newly built Batana Salvorina in the evenings. The tourists were interviewed after the ride, with a total of 127 questionnaires filled. 3 Survey and tourist questionnaire results Table 2 The tourists assessment of Umag cultural offer Tablica 2. Kulturna ponuda Umaga prema procjeni turista Grade Number of tourists Percentage 1 16 12.6 % 2 28 22.0 % 3 33 26.0 % 4 22 17.4 % 5 28 22.0 % Total: 127 100 % Grade point average: 3.14 / Prosječna ocjena: 3,14 Source: Authors survey 69

Table 3 SWOT Analysis of Batana Salvorina Tablica 3. SWOT analiza Batane Salvorine Strengths - Cultural and historical heritage - Maritime tradition - Uniqueness of batana salvorina (glass bottom),the grue - Volunteers and enthusiasts the Association Batana Salvorina - Interrelation of heritage, tourism and fishing - Sports tourism - Environmental preconditions - Environmental uniqueness of the Gamboz Bay Opportunities - Growing awareness of the historical heritage and maritime tradition - Tourists interest in cultural and historical heritage - Diversification of tourists motives - Affirmation of cultural, creative and event tourism - Growing interest in heritage tourism - Involvement of corporate groups in Umag tourism (Androniko Lukšić, Kempinski) - Connecting with other batana and maritime heritage valorisation projects - Connecting with Venice Weaknesses - Insufficient valorisation of batana salvorina - Unrecognizable tourism product - Marketing and promotional inefficiency - Incoherence and disinterest of stakeholders - Insufficient awareness of the heritage valorisation possibilities - Lack of an integral product - Insufficiently developed cultural tourism product - Incoherence with other offer elements - Insufficient financial resources - Lack of the batana brand - Disinterest of the local population Threats - Economic crisis - Rivals activities - Failure to recognize new tourists preferences Source: Authors survey local community 4, as many as 82% of the respondents believe that Umag does not offer a distinctive, recognizable cultural offer, giving an average grade of 2.16 to the valorisation of cultural and historical heritage in Umag tourism offer, which is more than unsatisfactory. Likewise, both the entire Umag tourist brand identity and its competitiveness are given an average grade 3. It is interesting to note that as many as 82% of the respondents believe that Umag offers no indigenous cultural tourism products, and that the lowest grades (1 and 2) are given to Batana Salvorina and its position in Umag tourist offer so far. In the reconception of development, it is crucial to valorise the existing cultural resource base and turn it into a distinctive and highly competitive cultural attraction integrated into the tourism product. In the analysis of Umag historical and cultural resource base, the project revolving around a small, traditional fishing boat batana salvorina is recognized as a distinctive element, and as an important segment in the valorisation of fishing tradition. PROJECT BATANA SALVORINA IN UMAG TOURIST OFFER / Projekt Batana Salvorina u turističkoj ponudi Umaga Batana (Keber, 2007, 84-88) is a small traditional Croatian boat, with a simple design, similar along the Croatian coast: a flat bottom, slightly elevated towards the bow and stern. It has a pointed bow is and a transom stern. The bow and stern are 4 The interviews with the local community representatives were conducted during August 2014 equally curved and convex. On the Croatian shores, batana was first mentioned in 1751. In Istria, batana has been present for centuries, resulting in the emergence of a range of subtypes, all propelled mainly by oars (Šimić, 2013, 102-103). It belongs to the large family of flat-bottomed boats such as the Venetian gondola, the trupa (traditional Neretva boat) or sandula from Komiža. Batana boats constructed in the second half of the 20 th century are rarely longer than 5 meters. Batana is made entirely of wood; the frame is most often made of oak, the hull of fir or spruce, and the nails used are either galvanized or handforged. Batana is a shallow boat with a wider stern and crossplanked bottom, propelled by either sail or oars. What makes the Savudrian batana different from other boats is her glass bottom. 5 Batana was not kept anchored in the harbour, but was hauled out and lifted onto the wooden frameworks called grue (wooden beams representing a very important distinguishing element that can be found along the shores of Savudrija, Zambratija and Moela in Umag). The Savudrian Batana is the pearl of the Umag past and present, and a fitting monument to the fishermen. The measures of protection and valorisation of batana in the Umag tourist offer were introduced by the Sea and Cultural Attractions Association Savudrijska Batana - Batana Salvorina. Its purpose is promoting and protecting the cultural heritage of Umag, with particular focus on the project Batana Salvorina Living with the Sea. Through this small, indigenous fishing boat, it seeks to preserve the tradition of batana boatbuilding 5 Mali Batanin pojmovnik, http://www.batana.org/hr/mali-batanin-pojmovnik/, accessed 01/06/2014 70 C. Stipanović et al: Valorization of Batana Salvorina in the Development and...

Source: Authors research Table 4 Tourists grades of the Batana Salvorina Project elements in % Tablica 4. Elementi projekta Batana Salvorina prema ocjeni turista Very low Low Medium High Batana Salvorina information availability 4 20 8 32 36 Promotional materials 8 23 12 23 34 Representation of tradition and heritage 4 4 20 28 44 Event attractiveness batana ride 0 0 6 44 48 Event attractiveness traditional fishing methods 4 0 12 36 48 Event attractiveness - batana building demonstration 1 12 4 32 52 The opportunity to gain new insights 4 0 12 42 42 Staff hospitality 0 0 0 36 64 Staff professionalism and expertise 0 0 4 27 69 Very high which survived for centuries but is now slowly disappearing. The Association has launched a project Fishermen in Tourism and Cultural Heritage Valorisation, which projected the construction of two batana boats that would be used by the citizens and tourists for night fishing with light attractor, underwater sightseeing through the glass and learning about the traditional fishing method of the area called a fogo con la fiocina or na sviću (fishing with artificial light). Fishing na sviću is a type of spearfishing for seabass, sargo, seabream, salema porgy, octopus, cuttlefish, crabs, etc. The project was launched with the donation of a batana to the company Komunela Ltd., which invested in the boatbuilding material. The ceremony of batana launching was complemented by the local cuisine, a rowing mini-regatta, old movies and photographs from the 1950 s, as well as the movie about building the batana boat, batana boat ride and night sightseeing tours with the light of boat lanterns. Previous activities of the Association include: participating in the international rowing regatta in Izola as part of the Praznik Izolskega Čudeža ( Festival of the Izola Miracle») and the 100th anniversary of Izola rowers 6, participating in the Umag Night of Museums giving a lecture on the Savudrian batana and the grue and announcing the project Living with the Sea (tangible and intangible fisheries and maritime heritage in Umag). The current state of the batana salvorina valorisation and its inclusion in the tourist offer can be presented through a SWOT analysis.in order to achieve continuous development, it is necessary to recognize the tourists interest in cultural and historical heritage and to provide various promotional attractive events and experiences. In analyzing the current state of batana salvorina valorisation, the key lies in the survey results. The closest competitors of this project are Rovinj and Izola. These cities have been representing their indigenous varieties of batana for years. The creation of Rovinj batana brand is the perfect example of a successful valorisation. In its golden days, Rovinj had 220 batana boats; today, there are only 34. 7 Rovinj founded the Batana Ecomuseum, with a modern multimedia exhibition, including film and slide projections, batana models, music, photographs, interactive exhibits, as well as the indigenous items donated by the citizens of Rovinj. The 6 Savudrijska batana na međunarodnoj regati batana u Izoli, http://www. umag-istra.com/hr/naslovnica/lokalne-vijesti/1855-savudrijska-batana-nameunarodnoj-regati-batana-u-izoli, accessed 15/05/2014 7 Batana i dalje plovi, http://www.vecernji.hr/turisticka-patrola/batana-i-daljeplovi-953522, accessed 15/07/2014 mission and main goals of the Ecomuseum are communicated and realized through its components: The House of Batana (interpretation and documentation centre); Spacio Matika, locally known as spàcio, the place of tasting, smelling, listening and singing the local maritime heritage; Mali Škver, locally known as peîcio squèro, the place of celebrating the intangible heritage of the batana boat building; the Rovinj Regatta, with an array of traditional wooden boats with gaff rigs or lateens; Batanini puti: two thematic routes, from Mali Mol (Little Pier) to Spacio Matika and the Rovinj quay; one by sea, guided by the barkarioli (local boatmen), and the other strolling along the waterfront, where visitors can learn about Rovinj and experience it from the batana perspective. 8 The offer of batana products began to spread in different directions that valorise the historical heritage of batana, including: workshops on knitting fishing nets and demijohn wickerwork; workshops for children (sail sewing and painting and batinada singing); indigenous handicraft workshops using the tools from the early 20 th century; batana sailing courses etc (Pokrajac, 2010,180). Izola has a long tradition of promoting its fisheries and maritime heritage through the Maritime Museum exhibitions, the Museum of Salt-making, batana modelling, but also its significant body of writings on the batana history - the basis for further batana and maritime heritage valorisation. The question is, can other destinations be equally protected and create an innovative batana-based tourism product? Should they follow the example of Rovinj and initiate a joint offer of the small traditional boats? Should they follow the example of Izola? How essential is the connection to other destinations with a similar offer? Regardless of its delay in comparison to other towns, and its emphasis on sports and tennis as a brand, Umag has the opportunity to develop its project differently, given the uniqueness of the Savudrian batana (glass bottom) and the fantastic (not valorised) location of the Gamboz Bay with batana grue on three piers, and a unique white stone seabed that creates an exceptional atmosphere for night batana rides and fishing and gives a special, unique glow to the batana. THE GOALS AND STRATEGIES OF THE BATANA SALVORINA VALORIZATION / Ciljevi i strategije valorizacije Batana Salvorine The goals of the batana valorisation and tourism development 8 Ekomuzej batana - http://www.batana.org/hr/ekomuzej-batana/info-tocka-oekomuzeju/, accessed: 10/08/2014 71

must serve the economic development of Umag 9. In addition to other developmental processes, Batana Salvorina provides Umag with the opportunity to enrich its offer and create a tourism brand. Beside the social component, the goals need to be primarily oriented toward the financial component (direct and indirect multiplier effect on attracting tourists and increasing tourist expenditure). These goals are: preservation of the batana salvorina tradition; presentation of local traditional maritime skills, the unique identity and cultural / maritime heritage; the involvement of tourists, citizens and especially the young generation in preserving the traditional maritime handicrafts; the creation of tourism events based on the batana salvorina, and the transformation of the batana into a recognizable Umag brand. In order to achieve these goals, it is necessary to raise awareness about the possibilities of the batana salvorina valorisation in the creation of a recognizable tourism product and brand, and to involve all stakeholders in the creation of tourism experience. Man is the key (his knowledge, skills, valorisation of the past), and valorisation cannot be based solely on the enthusiasm of the Association members. The story of the batana must include and connect the following entities: Istria County granting coastal concessions; Port Authority permits, preparations and financing the reconstruction of the Gamboz Bay; The City of Umag - co-financing the projects from the city budget, concession approvals; Tourist Board - co-financing the projects, creating informational pamphlets and brochures, organizing events promoting the project; All stakeholders - co-financing and actively participating in the creation of an integral product Entrepreneurs contributing to the batana experience through innovative contents and promotion; Indigenous resident - actively participating in the events as witnesses of the past and present and creators of the future. Another essential factor is maximum interaction with all actors in the field - from old caulkers, fishermen and tourist agencies, to the last batana and grue owners, as well as the inclusion of new generations in preserving the batana tradition. During the survey, in-depth interviews were conducted with the members of the Association Batana Salvorina, resulting in the following proposed actions: 10 Presentations of batana building on the quay, knitting fishing nets and traditional fishing methods, school education; Anthropological research of the indigenous residents; Preparing a study on the historical development of the grue and maritime heritage - Batana Salvorina; Publication of The Maritime Tales ; Organizing courses on grue and batana building, batana models; Restoration of the quay wooden frameworks; 9 Future Umag development elements include: a new kindergarten, sports zone Humago, new Umag secondary school, renovation of local elementary schools, the Socially-supported housing construction program (POS), new city market, city square, business incubator Juricani, entrepreneurial zone Ungarija, bicycle trail Lovrečica-Savudrija, promenade from the Umag old town - Moela, Katoro East, night entertainment zone, coastal and beach development, town park Humago, http://www.umag.hr/prva.aspx?stranica=5837&j=cro, accessed, 8/09/2014 10 Interviews with the members of the Association Batana Salvorina Organizing summer school Naše ruke su to storile ( Our Hands Made This ); Organizing tourist trips to the sites represented in the publication The Maritime Tales rowing school; Night Batana rides a fogo - underwater sightseeing through the batana glass bottom; Creating additional tourism products; Conceptual development and organization of a gastronomy-enology fair. The local-level initiatives encourage the creation of the batana brand, since the interpretation of one s own cultural and historical heritage is crucially dependent on the local community. This assertion is confirmed by the local community statements on the lack of active members and volunteers, the lack of work space for batana building and meetings, slow projects development, insufficient financial resources, etc. In line with the goals, the batana salvorina valorisation needs to be included in both the destination s integral product and the re-conception of tourism development in Umag. According to Park (2014, 49), the chosen visitor strategies have to respond to specific needs and remain appropriate to the local culture. The idea that the identity of the local community can be not only preserved and protected, but also developed and integrated into the tourist offer, opens the way to future operational strategies innovation: The R&D strategy - Future project perfecting and development requires numerous studies, historical facts and concrete evidence. In order to publish The Maritime Tales, is necessary to conduct an anthropological research. Furthermore, it is necessary to understand the visitors perception of cultural tourism in Umag in order to answer the question of whether this type of project arouses their interest and provides satisfaction. It is essential to analyze the rivals activities, both presently and in the future. The marketing strategy - It is necessary to define the target groups - cultural tourists, creative tourism tourists, lovers of history, tradition and maritime culture. The new market requires a continuous innovation of the marketing-mix elements - especially product and promotion. Umag needs to be repositioned and branded as the destination of the batana and a rich maritime tradition. The batana and the grue can develop into a recognizable Umag symbol and brand (like the Savudrian Lighthouse or the ATP Croatia Open Tournament); a synonym for a blend of culture, tradition, navigation, fishing and tourism. It is important to put more emphasis on the batana brand in the joint brand of the Tourist Boards of Umag, Novigrad, Brtonigla and Buje known as Colours of Istria (represented by a characteristic fan in four colors: blue - the sea and wellness; orange - sports; green - eco-orientation; purple - gastronomy and enology). The international brand recognition can be increased by participating in international events and competitions, connecting with the brand of Venice, and by using the name (e.g. café bar Batana Umag, Batana sea fishing). Promotion through the story of Batana can be achieved by participation in specialized fairs, regattas and events, both at home and abroad, and by creating a monument to the batana. This requires a website, brochures, posters, boosting publicity (only regional Istria media following the activities and projects) and other modern promotional media. The supply strategy - It is necessary to build batana boats and to restore the grue (wooden frameworks) along the coast of Umag and to develop a concrete way of presenting this 72 C. Stipanović et al: Valorization of Batana Salvorina in the Development and...

project. The key presentation locations should be the quay, the Savudrian port (demonstrations of batana building) and especially the Gamboz Bay. The batana experience needs to be enriched with additional contents such as gastronomy-enology fairs, fishermen festivities, regattas and various competitions. It is important to put more emphasis on the grue, which make Umag and its maritime tradition recognizable on the market. Furthermore, to properly valorise the tradition, it is to necessary to connect all the batana boats, as well as to create an interrelation with other forms of tourism. The opportunities of development can also arise from connecting to the Venetian heritage (parallel demonstrations of the batana and gondola building, participation in the regattas of Savudrija and Venice). It is necessary to create an audio-visual experience of the local culture, customs, tradition, music, dance, fishing tradition, legends, the spirit of the time and the fishermen s way of life, the experience of silence and the sounds of the sea, as well as to organize the batana rides and fishing, regattas, rowing schools, contents for children, romantic tourist batana rides, demonstrations of fishing a fogo and souvenir workshops. The ports of Savudrija, Zambratija, Sv.Ivan, Lovrečica and Umag need to be included in the batana competitions and regattas offering various tourist activities. There is also a possibility of organizing a permanent multimedia museum exhibition that would It would present the complete story of the batana, from building (tools, types of wood used, blueprints ) to sailing, as well as a thematic batana amusement park for children. Human resource strategy - Active involvement and a joint coordination of all stakeholders in the offer representation can result in a successful integration of the batana in the tourism offer. It is necessary to fully inform and educate all the stakeholders, especially the fishermen. Furthermore, it must be possible to involve both the residents and the tourists in the process of creating the offer, with the emphasis on creative tourism opportunities. The financial strategy - It is necessary to recognize the importance of the project and to co-finance it in order to achieve the multiplier effect of reviving the tradition on the development of tourism and economy of Umag. So far, the association has raised funds solely from local community organizations and donors. 11 The rest of the financial resources should be secured through the EU funding. Additional funds could be obtained through various cultural and gastronomic events that would provide additional revenue from hospitality services and other stakeholders donations (prerequisite: awareness of the batana importance). In the re-conception of Umag tourism development, the interaction of operational strategies innovation and the integral product development represents a necessity in repositioning Umag as a competitive tourist destination and in branding Umag as a destination of maritime tradition, events, experience and culture. CONCLUSION / Zaključak Through innovation of the development concept, Umag needs to narrow the gap between the natural prerequisites and the limited seasonal offer, attract richer and more demanding clientele, and achieve repositioning on the tourism market. Alongside the accommodation offer transformation 11 Interviews with the members of the Association Batana Salvorina (involvement of corporate groups Kempinski, Sol Melia, Androniko Lukšić- Plava Laguna resort), a renowned sports offer (ATP tennis tournament, golf...), it is necessary to further develop event tourism, cultural and creative offer. Batana salvorina needs to become the recognizable symbol of Umag (a positive example: the Venetian gondola) which must first be acknowledged as the sense of belonging and a monument to the maritime tradition by the local population, the local government and all stakeholders involved. Tourism is an experience, and the experience of batana salvorina can turn into an experience of the maritime tradition, history, customs, culture and lifestyle of Umag. It represents the possibility to valorise both the tradition and the natural prerequisites (the Gamboz Bay) in creating an attractive product based on creativity despite the limited financial resources. The batana must become a part of a distinctive Umag integral product be based on tradition, culture and indigenous values. In the affirmation of the batana, the key lies in event tourism, the interrelation with other forms of tourism offer, the interaction of all stakeholders, the involvement of local residents and tourists in the creation of tourism events, and the development of promotional strategies in order to brand Umag as a competitive tourist destination and the batana salvorina destination. The survey results raise new questions on connecting the existing batana valorization projects (Rovinj, Umag, Piran), the inclusion of new entrepreneurs with fresh, innovative contents, and the affirmation of the batana in the marketing and promotional representation and branding of Umag. 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